Three Ways to Support YMCA Foster Care

Giving Tuesday is on December 1 this year. It is a day when people across the country pause to ask a simple question: where can my generosity do the most good? If you care about children and teens in foster care, we hope you will consider the Y’s Foster Care Licensing Program as part of your answer.

Foster care licensing is not a revenue-generating program for our organization. It is a mission-driven program that exists because children and youth need safe homes and foster parents need real support. We can continue this important work and grow as a program through private donations from people like you.

Three Ways to Give

1. Become a monthly supporter.

A recurring monthly gift is one of the most powerful ways to support our work. Monthly gifts give us something that is hard to find in nonprofit work: predictability. When we know a steady base of support is coming in, we can plan ahead, respond to the needs of foster parents more quickly, and keep our services consistent. A gift of any size, given month after month, adds up to meaningful change over the course of a year.

Set Up Your Recurring Gift  

2. Make a one-time gift.

If a one-time donation is the best fit for you, it makes a real difference, too. Giving Tuesday is a wonderful moment to give, and every dollar helps us support the foster families in our community. The Y is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and contributions are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.

Make an Online Gift  

3. Purchase a gift card for the holidays.

Our Amazon wishlist includes gift cards that go directly to our licensed foster parents and to the state-licensed foster parents in our Caregiver Support Program. A gift card is a small, practical way to say “we see you and we appreciate what you are doing.” It can help a foster parent cover a last-minute need for a child in their home, from a school item to a warm coat to a family meal.

Purchase a Gift Card on Amazon

If you are not able to give financially this Giving Tuesday, there are still ways to be part of this work:

• Share this blog with friends, family, and colleagues who care about kids and families.
• Consider becoming a foster parent. If you have wondered whether fostering might be right for you, we offer a no-pressure conversation to answer your questions.
• Spread the word about kinship licensing. Relatives and close friends who are caring for a child may be eligible for licensing and support.